Catheter having internal flow valve at distal end thereof



ly 1 1967 t F. A. ROCCHI ETAL 3,331,371

CATHETER HAVING INTERNAL FLOW VALVE AT DISTAL END THEREOF Filed March 9, 1965 INVENTORS FERDINAND A. ROCCH/ SAMUEL SIMON BY MAURICE EEL/I/EAU Y 12 e/ja/ ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,331,371 CATHETER HAVING INTERNAL FLOW VALVE AT DISTAL END THEREOF Ferdinand A. Rocchi, .Wappingers Falls, and Samuel Simon and Maurice Beliveau, Poughkeepsie, N .Y., assignors to Prosit Service Corporation, Wappingers Falls,

Filed Mar. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 438,316 7 Claims. (Cl. 128-349) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A catheter having a valve for controlling the flow of fluid therethrough comprising an elongated tube of flexible material having a closed end, an open end and a fluid entrance hole in the wall thereof adjacent the closed end. Valve means is provided within the tube adjacent the fluid entrance hole. The valve means is operable between a position in which the valve means extends completely across and closes the hole to prevent fluid from entering the tube and a position in which the hole is uncovered to permit fluid to enter the tube. A valve operating means extends from the valve means to the open end of the tube to permit the valve to be operated between its two positions.

A catheter is a long tube-like device that is inserted into the body of a person in order to withdraw fluids therefrom. The most common form of catheter is a rubber tube inserted by way of the urethra into the bladder of a person in order to withdraw fluid from the bladder. Often it is necessary that the catheter be retained in the person for an extended period of time. To properly hold the catheter in place, it is generally provided with an inflatable bag' which, when inflated, will retain the catheter in the person.

In the use of such catheters it is the practice to provide a bottle at the outlet end of the catheter to catch the fluid draining therethrough. When the person using the catheter is ambulatory, the bottle is usually secured to the body or leg of the person. To so carry around such a drainage 'bottle is not only uncomfortable, but since there is a constant drainage of fluid into the bottle, it becomes odoriferous and is disagreeable to the person and to others. Since a continuous drainage is usually not necessary, it would be desirable to have a catheter which includes means operable by the user to control the flow of fluid therethrough.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel catheter.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a catheter having means operable by the user for controlling the flow of fluid therethrough.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a catheter having a valve therein operable by the user to permit and stop the flow of fluid therethrough.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a catheter having a valve in its forwardrnost end which is operable by the user to permit and stop the flow of fluid therethrough.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, partially in elevation, of a catheter of the present invention, with the valve closed.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view, partially in section, of the catheter shown in FIGURE 1, but with valve in its open position.

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FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view, partially in section of a modification of the catheter of the present invention with the valve closed.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 5 with the valve in its open position.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view, partially in section, of a portion of still another modification of the catheter of the present invention, with the valve in its open position.

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view of the catheter of FIGURE 8 with the valve closed.

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along line 1010 of FIGURE 9.

Referring initially to FIGURE 1, the catheter of the present invention is generally designated as 10. Catheter lli comprises an elongated, cylindrical drainage tube 12 of a flexible material, such as rubber. The forwardmost end 14 of the tube 12 is closed and rounded so as to permit ease of insertion of the catheter. A fluid entrance hole 16 is provided through the tube 12 adjacent the forwardmost end 14. An inflatable bag 18 is provided around and secured to the tube 12 behind the fluid entrance hole 16. The bag 18, which is conventional in most catheters, may be secured to the tube by any suitable means, such as by a cement. An air passage 20 extends through the wall of the tube 12 from the rearmost end of the tube to the interior of the bag 18 to permit the bag 18 to be inflated after the catheter is inserted.

Catheter 10 is provided with a valve therein adjacent its forwardmost end. The valve comprises a rubber ball 22 of a diameter equal to or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the tube 12. The ball 22 is positioned in the tube 12 so that it completely covers the fluid entrance hole 16. A cord 24 extends between and is secured to the ball 20 and the forwardmost end 14 of the tube 12 to hold the ball in position. A cord 26 is secured to the ball 22 and extends completely through the tube 12 to the rearmost end thereof. A knot 28 is provided in the cord 26 slightly forward of the rearmost end of the tube 12. A slot 30 is provided in the wall of the tube 12 at the rearmost end thereof.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, the ball 22 normally completely and tightly covers the fluid entrance hole 16 so that no fluid can enter the tube. However, when the cord 26 is pulled rearwardly, a force is applied to the ball 22 which elongates the ball to an oval shape as shown in FIGURE 2. The force is also applied to the forwardmost end 14 of the tube. Since the tube 12 is flexible, this causes the tube to bulge radially outwardly around the ball 22. Thus, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, there is provided a space between the fluid entrance hole 16 and the ball 22 so that fluid can pass into the tube 12 and drain through the catheter 10. To hold the valve in this open position, the cord 26 can be inserted in the slot 30 with the knot 28 being against the outer surface of the tube 12 as shown in FIGURE 2. Thus, the outlet 10 is provided with a valve which can be easily operated by the user to permit or stop the drainage of fluid therethrough.

Referring to FIGURE 5, a modification of the catheter of the present invention is generally designated as 10a. Catheter 10a is identical to catheter 10 of FIGURE 1 except for the construction of the valve. The valve of catheter 10a comprises a hollow, cylindrical sleeve 32 of a rigid material, such as a metal or plastic. The ends 32a and 32b of the sleeve 32 are serrated. The sleeve 32 is of a diameter equal to or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the tube 12a and of a length longer than the length of the fluid entrance hole 16a in the tube 12a. The sleeve 32 is positioned within the tube 12a so that it completely covers and seals the fluid entrance hole 16a. A cord 34 is secured at one end to the inner surface of the forwardmost end 14a of the tube 12a, and extends completely through the tube to the rearmost end thereof. A knot 36 is provided in the cord 34 at a point slightly forward of the rearmost end of the tube 12a.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the fluid entrance hole 16a is normally sealed by the sleeve 32 so that no fluid can enter the tube 12a. However, when the cord 34 is pulled rearwardly, a force is applied to the forwardmost end 1411 of the tube 12a. Since the tube 12a is of a flexible material, this causes the tube 12a to bulge radially outwardly around the sleeve 32 as shown in FIGURE 6. Thus, as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, there is provided a space between the sleeve 32 and the fluid entrance hole 16a so that fluid can enter the space. The fluid then passes around the serrated ends 32a and 32b of the sleeve 32 into the tube 12a and thereby drains through the catheter 10a. The valve can be held in its open position by inserting the cord 34 in the slot 30a in the tube 12a with the knot 36 being against the outer surface of the tube 12a as shown in FIGURE 6.

Referring to FIGURE 8, still another modification of the catheter of the present invention is generally designated as 10b. Catheter 10b is identical to catheters 10 and 10a of FIGURES 1 and respectively, except for the construction of the valve. The valve of catheter b comprises an inflatable balloon 38 of a flexible material, secured to the inner surface of the tube 12b adjacent the forwardmost end 14b of the tube. The balloon 38 is secured to a portion of the inner surface of the tube 12b away from the fluid entrance hole 16b, and is of a length to extend from a point forward of the hole 161) to a point rearward of the hole 16b. An inflation tube 40 extends along the inner surface of the tube 1211 from the balloon 38 to the rearmost end of the tube so as to permit inflation of the balloon by a gas or liquid.

As shown in FIGURE 8, the balloon 38 is deflated so that the fluid entrance hole 161) is open to permit fluid to enter the tube 12b and drain through the catheter 10b. When the balloon is inflated by admitting a gas or fluid into the balloon through the inflation tube 40, the balloon expands completely across the tube 121) as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, and thereby tightly covers the fluid entrance hole 16b so as to stop any flow of fluid into the tube 12b. Thus, by inflating and deflating the balloon 32, the flow of fluid through the catheter 10b can be stopped and permitted.

Thus, there is provided by the present invention a catheter having a valve means in its forwardmost end which can be easily operated by the user to control the flow of fluid therethrough. This catheter can be used not only to open a blockage of the urethra, but also for the purpose of controlling the flow of urine where the user cannot normally control such flow. Another advantage of the catheters of the present invention is that they do not have to extend out of the urethra as the catheters heretofore used, but only have to be of a length to extend from the bladder to slightly beyond the sphincter muscle, whereas catheters heretofore used are much longer. It has been found that the longer catheters tend to creep inwardly into the bladder when the user moves around. However, the shorter length catheters of the present invention do not have such a tendency to creep and are more comfortable to wear.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indiacting the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A catheter comprising an elongated tube of flexible material having a closed end and an open end, a fluid entrance hole in the wall of said tube adjacent said closed end, valve means within said tube adjacent said fluid entrance hole, said valve means being operable between a position in which the valve means extends completely across and closes said hole to prevent entrance of fluid into said tube and a position in which the fluid entrance hole is uncovered to permit fluid to enter the tube, and means for operating said valve means extending from said valve means to the open end of said tube.

2. A catheter in accordance with claim 1 in which the valve means comprises a flexible ball within said tube, said ball being of a size and being positioned so that it normally extends across and closes the fluid entrance hole, and a cord extending between and secured to the ball and the closed end of the tube to hold the ball in position.

3. A catheter in accordance with claim 2 in which the means for operating the valve comprises a cord secured to the ball and extending through the tube to the Open end of the tube.

4. A catheter in accordance with claim 1 in which the valve means comprises a rigid, hollow sleeve within said tube and extending across the fluid entrance hole, said sleeve being of a diameter so as to normally close the fluid entrance hole, and the means for operating the valve comprises a cord secured to the inner surface of the closed end of the tube and extending through said tube to the open end thereof, said cord adapted to apply a force on the closed end of the tube so as to bulge the wall of the tube away from the sleeve and uncover the fluid entrance hole.

5. A catheter in accordance with claim 4 in which the ends of the sleeve are serrated.

6. A catheter in accordance with claim 1 in which the valve comprises a balloon secured to the inner wall of the tube adjacent the fluid entrance hole, said balloon extending across and closing said hole when the balloon is inflated so as to prevent fluid from entering the tube and uncovering said hole when deflated so as to permit fluid to enter the tube.

7. A catheter in accordance with claim 6 including an inflation tube extending from the balloon through the tube to the open end of the tube to carry an inflation material to and from said balloon for inflating and deflating the balloon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,073,069 3/1937 Lee 2724.1 2,156,522 5/1939 Bowmer 27-24.1 2,616,429 11/ 1952 Merenlender 128-350 2,649,092 8/ 1953 Wallace 128-349 2,819,718 1/1958 Goldman 128-350 2,919,697 1/1960 Kim 128-349 2,981,254 4/1961 Vanderbilt 148-350 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

DALTON L. TRULUCK, Examiner. 

1. A CATHETER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED TUBE OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL HAVING A CLOSED END AND AN OPEN END, A FLUID ENTRANCE HOLD IN THE WALL OF SAID TUBE ADJACENT SAID CLOSED END, VALVE MEANS WITHIN SAID TUBE ADJACENT SAID FLUID ENTRANCE HOLE, SAID VALVE MEANS BEING OPERABLE BETWEEN A POSITION IN WHICH THE VALVE MEANS EXTENDS COMPLETELY ACROSS AND CLOSES SAID HOLD TO PREVENT ENTRANCE OF FLUID INTO SAID TUBE AND A POSITION IN WHICH THE FLUID ENTRANCE HOLE IS UNCOVERED TO PERMIT FLUID TO ENTER THE TUBE, AND 